Modern vehicle drivelines can generate unwanted noise or vibration during operation. This can especially be true after extended use, thus noise and vibration mitigation is a common issue for the driveline. Driveline axle dampers are one solution. Such dampers can increase driver perception in terms of seat vibration, vehicle moaning and gear rattle. Vehicle noise and vibration measurements read in various ranges, e.g., below 150 Hertz (Hz), between 200 Hz and 400 Hz and also between 450 Hz and 1000 Hz. Vibrations at these frequencies can occur in a single vehicle; however, it is difficult to find a single damper of simple construction that has a resonance range encompassing the different frequency ranges at which the driveline can oscillate. Complex dampers capable of damping over a wide range are typically more costly to implement on a vehicle.
In the past, axle dampers were typically packaged at a pinion gear area. This area, however, has limited packaging space and requires heat shielding from parts proximate to the damper. Also because the pinion gear dimensions vary between types of vehicles, e.g., diesel/gas-engine vehicles, damper configurations often needed to be tailored for each vehicle type. It can be desirable to configure dampers along the same radius to save space. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,902 titled “Double-Mass Type Dynamic Damper Having Two Damper Systems” teaches a driveline with multiple dampers arranged radially with respect to each other. The performance of each damper can be compromised, however, with radially aligned dampers sprung with respect to each other.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide independently sprung dampers for driveline components capable of reducing noise or vibrations across a relatively wide range of frequencies, particularly for use in a differential unit.